Antonelli on his cautious drive in Baku: "I was driving like my grandmother"

•September 26, 2026•News, Formula 1

If Kimi Antonelli's sensational Monza comeback win was a drive for the ages, then his much more subdued encore in the streets of Baku was just a footnote in his fledgling career. After tagging the wall during qualifying, the Mercedes driver was forced to face his second comeback race in three weekends from 16th on the grid.

While the Baku City Circuit certainly offered more passing opportunities than the previous stop in Madrid, Antonelli was acutely aware that repeating his Monza heroics would be an impossible goal at best.

A Strategy of Caution

On the tricky and windy street circuit, littered with pitfalls, Antonelli employed a measured approach. He gradually picked off midfielders to climb to eighth place by the time Alex Albon triggered a safety car on lap 31 of 51.

Having already benefited from Lando Norris' off in Turn 1, the neutralization provided a significant boost to the 20-year-old's recovery drive. The field was brought together, and Antonelli escaped the chaos caused by Franco Colapinto, who took out both Norris and Pierre Gasly. This opening allowed Antonelli to challenge Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, eventually crossing the line in fifth.

"Damage Save Mode"

Reflecting on his performance, Antonelli admitted he prioritized safety over aggression to minimize the points gap to his teammate, George Russell.

"I was driving a bit like my grandmother today, just damage save mode," Antonelli explained. "You know, I just didn't take a risk. Before making a move, I was making sure that I could go for it."

The race was not without its physical toll. Following the restart, Antonelli was swiped by Haas driver Oliver Bearman, which caused significant damage to the left-hand side of his floor.

"After the restart, I had big floor damage," Antonelli detailed. "My whole left side was gone with the contact. So after that, the car was very sketchy to drive. I still tried to get to fourth, but all in all, it's one of those days where you have to be happy with fifth."

Despite the disappointment of a lack of pace compared to his earlier performances, Antonelli leaves Baku with a healthy 66-point lead in the standings as the championship heads to Malaysia.